Contact copying apparatus



July 21, 1942.

A. MATLAS CONTACT COPYING APPARATUS Filed May 29, 1940 INVENTOR AIf/ed- Matias BY a 014w AGENT.

Patented July 21, 1942 i UNl T E D STAT E. S PAT'E T l T FF I C E CONTACT COPYiNG APPARATUS Alfred Matlas, New York, N. Y.

Application May 29, 1940, Serial No. 337,898

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in photographic contact copying apparatus.

It is an object of the invention to provide a contact copying apparatus having a tube-shaped light source surrounded by a transparent or translucent support of cylindrical shape. The transparent or translucent support may be a cylinder or a cylinder section depending upon the constructional details of the device.

It is another object of the invention to provide a contact copying apparatus which is provided with a flexible, resilient member which in turn is held by a suitable tensioning device.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a contact copying apparatus which is efficient in operation and easy to handle and which has a simple construction.

These and further objects of the present invention will become more evident in the following description taken in connection with the drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of my improved contact copying device.

Fig. 2 is an expanded perspective view on enlarged scale showing a portion of the light source and its socket fastened on a handle.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken on the lines 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a front view of another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 5 is an end view of the contact copying device of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawing and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 3, the contact copying device is provided with a base plate I9. Two upright side walls II and I2 are fastened on base plate II]. A transparent or translucent cylinder section I3 is mounted between side walls II and I2. Transparent or translucent cylinder section I3 is suitably matted or frosted, preferably on the inner surface thereof. Cylinder section I3 may consist of glass or of any suitable synthetic transparent or translucent material such as acetate cellulose, or of any of the well known transparent or translucent synthetic resins.

A flexible and resilient layer I4 is arranged above cylinder section I3. Layer I4 may e. g. consist of a sheet of rubber, leather, cork, cardboard or the like. It is an important feature of this invention that the flexible sheet I4 serves to press the documents or drawings to be copied against the hard and smooth surface of cylinder section I3. Thus, any wrinkles or creases of the papers to be copied are smoothed out. In order to press resilient layer I4 uniformly against the surface of cylinder section I3 a tensioning device is provided. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, this tensio'ni ng device may consist of an elastic layer I5 whichmay be stretched out. Rod I6 provided with'handles I! is fastened on one end of elastic layer I5. The rear ends of resilient layer l4 and of elastic layer I5 are fastened by ledge I8 provided with screws I9 onto rear wall 20 provided 'on base plate I0. Front wall 2| fastened on base I0 is provided with two hooks 22. By gripping handles ll of rod I B and pressing them downwards rod I6 may be engaged with hooks 22 to press resilient layer I4 against cylinder section l3. Instead of the elastic layer IS a fabric layer or the like may be used which is tensioned by springs. The springs may e. g. be interposed between ledge I8 and the rear edge of the cloth layer.

A tube-shaped light source 24 is arranged in the centre of the cylinder section I3. Light source 24 is provided with two sockets 25 having a contact tab 26. Sockets 25 are supported by side walls II and I2. Contact tab 26 fits into plug socket 2'! fastened on handle 28. Handle 28 is screwed onto side wall II by screws 29. By removing screws 29 handle 28 and plug socket 21 may be moved downwards, thus disengaging contact tab 26 from socket 21. It is to be understood that side wall I2 is also provided with a handle 28 and socket 21 corresponding to the one shown in Figs. 1 and 2. By unscrewing the two handles 28 tube-shaped light source 24 may be exchanged. Cord 30 provided with a wall plug 3| serves to connect the apparatus with the main supply. Cord 30 is connected by means of switch 32 with the two contact tabs 26.

The tube-shaped light source 24 arranged in the centre of matted translucent cylinder section I3 produces a uniform intensity of the light over the entire surface of cylinder section I3. Thus it is assured that copies obtained with my improved contact copying apparatus are uniformly sharp on account of the constant intensity of the light. The documents to be copied and the copying paper are interposed between cylinder section I3 and the resilient sheet I4 as is well Plates 4| and 42 are fastened on frame work 43 having a base plate 44. A tube-shaped light source 45 is provided in the centre of cylinder 40 and is shown in dotted lines. The flexible and resilient layer and the tensioning layer are mounted on the ledge 46 fastened on end plates 4|, 42. It is to be understood that the contact copying device of Figs. l and 5 is provided with a flexible layer similar to layer I4 of Figs. 1 and 3. Resilient elastic layer 4'! is fastened on ledge 46 and provided with a rod 48 having handles 49. Handles 49 are adapted to be engaged with hooks 50 fastened on end plates M and 42.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5 operates in a manner similar to the device shown in Figs. 1 to 3. The tube-shaped light source 45 again ensures the uniform intensity of the light over the entire surface of cylinder 40.

The tube-shaped light sources 24 or 45 may be adapted to emit light particularly of long Wave length. Preferably, the light sources 24 or 45 should emit light, the wave length of which is substantially longer than 5000 A. It is well known that incandescent lamps have a stronger emission of light in the longer range of the visible and infrared spectrum. On the other hand, copying papers are known which are particularly sensitive to light having a Wave length substantially above 5000 A. Therefore, if a light source is used which has its' strongest intensity above the wave range of 5000 A. such a light source will be particularly suited for the above described copying papers.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made to the details of construction of the invention as described, without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention, set forth in the following claim.

I claim:

In a contact copying device having side walls, a tube shaped light source extending through said side Walls, said light source having a plug on each end, two plug sockets adapted to engage said two plugs, handles removably secured to said side walls, said plug sockets being fastened on said handles, whereby said light source may be removed by removing said handles together with their plug sockets.

ALFRED MATLAS. 

